Variable image beflecsfswg machine



H. D. HILL VARIABLE IMAGE REFLECTING MACHINE Feb. 8, I944.

Filed Jan. 14, 194:5 y- 2 sheets-sheet 1 Feb. 8, 1944. l H. D. HILL2,341,042

VARIABLE IMAGE REFLECTING MACHINE STAT E VRHLE l i REMEMG CHENE HerschelD. Hill, Spr'lilgeld, lll.

Application January 14, i943, ,r

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine especially for use by draftsmen,architects, engineers, and designers to view an image throughtranslucent material disposed on a glass top, al1 or parts of a drawing,picture, or the like, with a change of scale thereof to another desiredscale to facilitate tracing of such an image or study for comparativereasons such as style, size or color.

It is particularly aimed to provide a means which will effect thedesired results more accurately and less laboriously.

More specifically I aim to provide a construction having a casing with aglass top and boards within the casing beneath the top, movablerelatively to each other, one adapted to mount an object and the otherhaving a lens and illuminating means whereby the object may be viewedthrough translucent material disposed on the glass top for tracing,study, or the like.

The more speciilc objects and advantages will become apparent from aconsideration of the description following taken in connection withaccompanying drawings illustrating an operative embodiment.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a horizontal section showing the device with the glass topand adjacent parts -removed, being taken on the plane of line i--l ofMgure 2;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially centrallyalong the line 2 2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line fil-t of Figure 2;and

l t No. 472,422

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail section taken l vertically at one cornerof the device.

Referring specicallygto the drawings wherein like reference charactersdesignate like or similar parts, il] designates a suitable casing whichmay be made of metal or any other suitable material and which preferablyis rectangular. This casing has a metallic bottom wall at Il, and acrossthe top a transparent or diaphanpus panel i2 of glass or the equivalentis mounted in any suitable manner. A continuous reinforcing strip i3 isfastened within the casing l0 at the bottom and asimilar metallic stripIt reinforces the top of the casing and is suitably fastened thereto.

Corner blocks it' are fastened below the bottom il, and journaledtherein as well as in bearing plates I5 within the casing and bearingplates it within the casing are four vertically disposed shafts il, andinwardly thereof are journaled in bearings l5 and i6 four verticalshafts it. lThe shafts It are screws in that they have helical groovesi9, and nuts are threaded on shafts I8. Said nuts 2t are rigidly carriedby an image board 2l of wood or any other opaque material upon which adrawing, photograph, or the like 22 may be disposed and fastened ifdesired;

Shafts il also are screws inasmuch as they have helical grooves 23engaged by nuts 24, rigid on a lens board 25, the latter being of woodor any other suitable opaque material.

Centrally of the board 25 a lens or system of lenses 26 is disposed,being carried by a mounting 2l, mounted in an opening in said board 25.An outwardly inclined portion or shade 2B forms part of the holder 2.

The interior of the casing lil preferably is painted white and in orderto afford sulcient illumination over the drawing, photograph, or otherobject 22 any desired number of lamps 29 may be mounted in anyconventional way. As the amount of illumination will vary according toconditions and the particular object 22, the lamps are adapted to belighted or extinguished in groups designated a, b, and c, so that onegroup may be lighted, or two, or all groups may be lighted, as desired.Electric current is supplied from any suitable source through feed wiresat 30 and the current passes to the series of lamps a under control of aswitch 3l, to series of lamps b under control of a switch 32, to seriesof lamps c under control of a switch 33, the wiring used beingconventional. The lamps preferably are tubular and elongated as shown.

The shafts i8 are adapted to be rotated in the same direction in unisonand they have sprocket wheels 34, keyed thereto traversed by an endlesssprocket chain 2li'. Preferably two or any desired number of shafts itin their upper ends are provided with square or other sockets which areengageable by removable crank 36 insertable through suitable openings 3lin the glass l2 so that when crank 36 is operated, screw shafts I9 willcoact with the nuts 20 to raise or lower the object board 2|, accordingto the direction of turning.

The screw shafts 23 also are adapted to be simultaneously turned in thesame direction and to this end have pinions 38 keyed to the tops thereofand which are traversed by an endless sprocket chain 39. Preferably two,but any desired number, of the shafts 23 have sockets 4D in their upperends, which are detachably engaged by a crank or key 4I insertablethrough openings 42 the glass I2 and brace strips I4 adjacent thereto.

Provision is made for inserting and removing a drawing, photograph, orthe like, such as 22,

and to this end all or part of one side wall of the casing I is aclosure. As shown in Figure 2 this closure is designated 43, beinghinged to the remainder of such wall on a horizontal axis as at 44, andbeing held in a closed position by turnable latch 45 mounted on theclosure and engagea-ble with the strip I4.

Itthus will be realized that through turning crank 4|, the screw shafts23' and nuts 24 will raise or lower the lens board 25. Thus the lensboard 25 andthe object board 2I are independently and relativelyadjustable so that the lens or series of lenses 26 will enable view ofthe image through the glass I2 on any permissible or variable scale.Such image may be traced on cloth or paper, which is translucent, andplaced over the glass and image, or the image simply may be viewed andstudied for comparative or other purposes. It will be recalled that thedegree of illumination is regulable since any group or any plurality ofgroups a, b, and c of the lamps 29 may be lighted as desired.

Various changes may be resorted t o provided that they fall Within thespirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A machine of the class described comprising a casing, said casinghaving a diaphanous panel, an object `board below the panel, a board-between said board and panel, lens means carried by thesecond-mentioned board, and means to move said boards relatively so thatimages on different scales may be viewed through said panel, nutscarried by the boards, screw shafts journaled in the casing and engagedby said nuts, a gearing connecting the shafts of the image board forsimultaneous rotation, a gearing connecting the shafts of thesecond-mentioned board for simultaneous rotation.

2. A machine of the class described comprising a casing, said casinghaving a diaphanous panel, over which translucent material is adapted tobe disposed, an object board below the panel, a board between said boardand panel, lens means carried by the second-mentioned board. and meansto move said boards relatively so that images on different scales may beviewed through `said panel and material, nuts carried by the boards,screw shafts journaled in the casing and engaged by said nuts, a gearingconnecting the shafts of the image board for simultaneous ror tation, agearing connecting the shafts of the second-mentioned board forsimultaneous rotation, bearings within the casing for said shafts,certain of said shafts having sockets at their upper ends for engagementby cranks to rotate the shafts, said panel having openings therethroughto enable passage of the lcranks therethrough to engage and disengagethe sockets.

3. A machine of the class described comprising a casing, an objectboard, a board above such object board, lens means carn'ed by thesecond-mentioned board, means to move said boards relatively so thatimages on different scales may be viewed, said means comprising nutscarried by the boards, screw shafts journaled in the casing and engagedby said nuts, gearing connecting the shafts to the image board forsimultaneous rotation, and gearing connecting the shafts of thesecond-mentioned board for simultaneous rotation.

HERSCHEL D. HILL.

